Calls for SVP aid up over a third

Calls to the St. Vincent de Paul charity – the largest, voluntary, charitable organisation in Ireland – from people facing problems paying for food, heat or bills have increased by more than a third in some areas, the organisation has said.

The charity’s national president criticised the Government for targeting those on low incomes to solve economic problems, while at the same time spending money to “bail out” the banks.

Mairead Bushnell said volunteers were being faced on a daily basis with people “crumbling under large debts and in despair trying to make ends meet.”

She said SVP needed to increase its fundraising and to recruit more volunteers as the changed economic circumstances were bringing new problems for it to deal with. This was causing distress to many of its existing 9,500 volunteers in over 1,000 local ‘conferences’ throughout Ireland.

“Does anyone in Government know or understand the plight of people we are meeting everyday, does anyone care?

“Every new proposal or suggestion to solve our economic problems targets low- and middle-income earners. While at the same time money can be found to bail out the banks and pay huge salaries and bonuses,” she said.

“We put food on the table, heat in the home and help children remain in school. But we need additional professional help to tackle the new problems, such as large debt, which is an increasing issue for many who come to us for help,” Ms Bushnell said.

“Our presence in homes, hospitals and shops and other services, brings reassurance to those we serve, but we are volunteers with neither the skills nor capacity to solve all of the problems of those in huge debt or in psychological distress brought on by the loss of their jobs or the shortage of money.

”With calls for assistance up by over a third in many areas we are facing a critical challenge and must step up our fund-raising and recruitment.”

Ms Bushnell was speaking at a conference in Dublin at the weekend, attended by over 700 delegates from around the country.

Source: www.irishtimes.com